Herekawe Posted 30 December , 2009 Share Posted 30 December , 2009 I got plenty of reading done over Christmas. I have had this book for a while. Briefly it cover the activities of the NZ Division on the Somme during 1916, from the time it arrived there in August, the September battle and 23 days in the front lines before moving away from the battle in early October. It is very readable, Macdonald combines official records with personal memories of the soldiers participating very smoothly. The progress of the NZ attack is laid out logically and related back to the activites of the Divisions on either side of the NZers. He is very even handed, pointing out the mistakes and both the good and the bad aspects of the developing battle in an objective manner. There are plenty of maps, I feel a couple more relating important features to modern map would be good. I have walked across this part of the battlefield a couple of times and it is easy to see where the NZ attack roughly started in relation to the two woods but not so easy to follow once you move towards Flers and beyond. Sadly many of my fellow NZers have never heard of the Somme (or Messines, Ypres, Bapaume etc) and other places where the NZ Division did most of its fighting, its a solid diet of Gallipoli down here. Very few NZers I have met on my travels around the 1916 battle area appreciate that just a few miles away on the other side of the Bapaume Road the NZ Division recorded some more sucesses in 1918. Luckily for NZ over the last couple of decades there have seen some good books come out about NZ on the Western Front and I reckon this is one of them. Macdonald makes the point that althought the NZ Divison was "successful", casulties were high as they often were, nearly as high as an unsuccessful attack. The content is mainly about NZ, but if you get an opportunity it is well worth a read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 30 December , 2009 Share Posted 30 December , 2009 I believe author is a member of forum? Des Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted 30 December , 2009 Share Posted 30 December , 2009 Indeed he is... and a very nice chap to boot. Will have to add this to my 'to read' list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick D Posted 30 December , 2009 Share Posted 30 December , 2009 thought this was familiar, I've got a copy that I'd forgotten about ! Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 30 December , 2009 Share Posted 30 December , 2009 I thoroughly enjoyed this book, too. I will be reading it again and look forward to walking the ground it describes. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 31 December , 2009 Share Posted 31 December , 2009 Kia Ora, Herekawe. Do you hail from the Taranaki area? Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herekawe Posted 5 January , 2010 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2010 Kia Ora, Herekawe. Do you hail from the Taranaki area? Robert Hi Robert Yes Taranaki is the place. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 5 January , 2010 Share Posted 5 January , 2010 James, I have fond memories of Taranaki. Our first house officer posts were in the Taranaki Base Hospital in the early '80s. Our first home was a Lockwood on 1 hectare just outside New Plymouth. Sigh. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now